Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, will gather with leading Nordic investment firms EQT, Summa Equity and LGT at the Business for Peace Summit in Oslo, Norway on May 15, 2019 to call for all global capital flows to advance the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda. The event marks the Nordic Springboard of the United Nations’ SDG Impact initiative.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is expected to require $5-7 trillion in total annual investment and requires a fundamental rethinking of global financial flows. Up until now there has not been a standardised or consistent approach to defining and measuring impact.

SDG Impact initiative has been designed to help meet this challenge. It is a United Nations-led initiative to enable private sector investment by providing investors and businesses with the clarity, insights, and tools required to support and authenticate their contribution toward achieving the SDGs.

SDG Impact aims to catalyze up to $1 trillion annually in private sector investment to achieve the SGDs. These efforts would contribute towards helping create some $12 trillion per year in economic opportunities and 380 million new jobs, which the Business Commission on Sustainable Development estimates would be possible from investing in the SDGs.

On May 15, 2019, the Business for Peace Foundation, an official partner of this initiative, will bring the SDG Impact initiative forward in the Nordic region with a springboard event in Oslo, rallying top investment firms in the region. Nordic institutional investors are widely regarded as world-leading in ESG and impact investment, with much influence globally. EQT, Summa Equity and LGT have taken a lead in the Nordic region on developing the initiative. CEO Christian Sinding of EQT, and Chair Anna Ryott and CEO Reynir Indahl of Summa Equity will speak at the Nordic Springboard about why they support the initiative. They will be joined by CEO Sverre Thornes of KLP and CEO Jan Erik Saugestad of Storebrand Asset Management, in a panel discussion, moderated by Ylva Lindberg, Director of Norfund.

“Sustainability is, and has always been, a central part of EQT. Through our involvement in this new SDG Impact initiative, EQT will be able to influence the way that SDG-alignment is measured and develop our own impact approach further. For EQT, the initiative is particularly exciting, as we are taking a stronger position on climate change and thematic investing in solutions with positive societal impact,” says Christian Sinding, CEO, EQT.

The springboard is part of the 2019 Business for Peace Summit, an annual event that brings together business leaders, investors, leaders of NGOs, politicians, academics, and civil society from all over the world to discuss the practical actions needed in order to make substantial and sustainable business contributions to society. This year, the Summit’s topic is “Navigating in a World of Imbalance”, with the SDG Impact Springboard event as a
cornerstone.

“Summa Equity was amongst the first Private Equity firms to commit to the SDGs, aligning our investment and value creation strategy with the SDG framework. We are proud to be part of the SDG Impact initiative and challenge the whole private equity community to invest in the SDGs. It helps companies show stronger growth and returns, while having lower risk,” says Anna Ryott, Chair of the Board, Summa Equity.

Ryott and Denton are part of the ten-person Steering Group, chaired by Steiner, which was created to signal markets and drive adoption. The Steering Group will play a critical role in
the global effort to authenticate SDG-enabled investment and represents an influential cross-section of industries from the global North and South that collectively influence investing around the world.

The SDG Impact springboard event in Oslo will gather Nordic investor support and build momentum to an upcoming global event in Stockholm.

ABOUT BUSINESS FOR PEACE

Business for Peace is an international foundation based in Oslo that aims to support, inspire, and recognise global business leaders who are positively changing the face of business. At the centre of the Foundation’s activities is the annual Oslo Business for Peace Award, conferred to exceptional individuals who exemplify the Foundation’s concept of being businessworthy: ethically and responsibly creating value both for both business and society. An independent Award Committee, consisting of Nobel Laureates in peace and economics, selects the Award Honourees each year. The Foundation also hosts an annual Summit bringing together business leaders, investors, leaders of NGOs, politicians, academics, and civil society from all over the world to discuss the practical actions needed in order to make substantial and sustainable business contributions to society.

For more information, interview requests, or photos please contact:

Alison Uttley, alison@businessforpeace.org

ABOUT UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in approximately 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. UNDP helps countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.This is a critical time for the world. At UNDP, we see this period as a huge opportunity to advance the global sustainable development agenda. In September 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change.

Business for Peace is proud to announce that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon will attend this year’s Oslo Business for Peace Award Ceremony on May 15 at Oslo City Hall. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon has previously attended Business for Peace events and we are honoured to welcome him back again this year.

Achim Steiner, Administator of United Nations Development Programme, will give the annual State of the Union Address on the relationship between business and society. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ouided Bouchamaoui will present the 2019 Award on behalf of the Award Committee. Governing Mayor of Oslo, Raymond Johansen, will offer welcoming remarks.

The Award Ceremony will take place on May 15 at 17:00 in Oslo City Hall. The public is invited to attend but advance registration is required as space is limited. Register here.

**Update: This event is fully booked. If you didn’t get a ticket, you can come to MESH at 17:30 and we’ll place you on a waitlist. You’ll be let in at 18:00, if space permits.

At the beginning of 2019, Business for Peace launched an afterwork series with MESH in Oslo. Following our first three events, The Future of Cities, The Future of Climate Leadership, and The Future of Business Leadership, we’re back with our fourth afterwork talk, The Future of Work. Given that the fourth industrial revolution is set to disrupt labour markets worldwide, our timely, expert-led conversation will centre on the impacts a shifting status quo will have on Milllenials and future generations when value-based jobs and flexibility usurp traditional workplace culture.

As new categories of jobs emerge and disappear, how are businesses adapting? With changing socio-economic and demographic factors, what responsibility do companies have to their employees and to society? And just how much will the Millennial mindset change the world?

Join us April 24 to hear talks from each of our guest speakers: Kristine Beitland, Director of Corporate Affairs at Microsoft Norway, Jannik Woxholth, Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, and Christian Pagh, Co-founder and Culture Director of Urgent.Agency. Stay for a discussion and Q&A conducted by our moderator, Lisa Cooper, Founder and CEO of Catalysts and Leadership Foundation.

Programme

Each speaker will give a brief talk, followed by a Q&A. The bar will be open for mingling afterwards too. If you are not in Oslo, stay tuned to our livestream and engage with out social media channels for live updates from the event.

The 2019 Business for Peace Honourees who are delivering opportunities for women, minorities and diverse and disadvantaged groups

The Oslo Business for Peace Award is given to inspiring business leaders around the globe who have accomplished extraordinary things. The award honours ambassadors of businessworthy values, who are shaping society for the better.

The 2019 recipients are: Dr Agbor Ashumanyi Ako, co-founder of GiftedMom, Alice Laugher, the CEO of CTG (Committed to Good) and Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of Chobani.

These three leaders are at the helm of companies which have a broader view than just the bottom line and see business as a tool for change. As individuals, they look at the world around them and work to improve it.

“The 2019 Honourees have managed to create enterprises with a significant social impact, exemplifying outstanding business contributions to society. In a world of imbalance, they have taken the initiative to establish and grow businesses that offer opportunities to women, minorities, diverse and disadvantaged groups”, comments Business for Peace Founder, Per L. Saxegaard. “These three celebrated individuals have worked tirelessly to counteract inequalities, encouraging inclusion and democratising access to health, aid, and work. Through their businesses, they promote human rights, contribute to sustaining peace and help build environments in which human potential can flourish.”

Dr Agbor Ashumanyi Ako

Agbor Ashumanyi Ako is one of the co-founders of GiftedMom, a digital health platform based in Cameroon that gives pregnant women and mothers across Africa access to vital health information and care. As a digital-first platform, GiftedMom is able to expand faster than traditional health care systems and the start-up aims to reach 10 million women in the next 10 years. Started by Alain Nteff and Doctor Tankou Conrad in 2012, the platform now has over 170,000 users. The award-winning app has significantly improved both pregnancy check-up attendance and vaccination turnouts, with an ultimate goal to see a world free of preventable maternal and infant deaths.

Dr Agbor enthuses, “This recognition is a symbol to show that there is progress in the right direction for the company GiftedMom. It comes as a reminder of the mission ahead. Being nominated by experts from the United Nations Development Programme Business Call to Action community and selected by former Nobel Peace Prize laureates is an indication of how the work GiftedMom is doing provides a global solution to help solve today’s challenges.”

Alice Laugher

Alice Laugher is the CEO of CTG, Committed to Good, which provides employment and logistics services to development and relief programmes in fragile and conflict-affected countries. From running Ebola treatment clinics in Liberia, to food distribution in Afghanistan and South Sudan, monitoring and assisting refugees in Libya, and rebuilding government constitution in Somalia, the work of CTG is as diverse as our world’s issues.

British-born Laugher is a vocal advocate for the Sustainable Development Agenda, with a particular focus on gender equality. She is passionate about CTG being a force for good and creating economic opportunities for women in war-torn regions through CTG’s initiative Female First, which pledges that 30% of project-related roles are represented by women by 2030. She explains: “At CTG, we’ve made empowering women through humanitarian employment in conflict-affected regions our focus. This award, this incredible recognition for our commitment, strengthens our determinations that we are moving in the right direction. I hope it will inspire business leaders, both women and men, to believe that their commitments to change and peace – no matter how small or large in scale – are the only way forward.”

Hamdi Ulukaya

Hamdi Ulukaya is the founder and CEO of Chobani, the company behind the number one Greek yoghurt in America. Today, Chobani has over 2,000 employees in the United States, 30 percent of which are legally resettled immigrants and refugees. Ulukaya has created a corporate culture in which everyone is welcome and has an opportunity to thrive with innovative profit-sharing and parental leave programmes. Ulukaya has also taken a leadership role in the global business community to encourage action from the private sector to tackle the global refugee crisis.

Turkish-born Ulukaya comments: “I’m very humbled by this honor, and I’m proud to accept it on behalf of the women and men of team Chobani. This new way of business–where companies focus on people and not just profits, try to make the world a little bit better–should be at the heart of every modern company. As CEOs we don’t need to have more, we need to do more. When we see an injustice, we need to speak out. When we have tools and resources to solve problems, we have to use them.”

About the Award

The Oslo Business for Peace Award is given out annually to exemplary business leaders who apply their business energy ethically and responsibly, creating economic and societal value. Winners are selected by an independent committee of Nobel Prize winners in Peace and in Economics after a global nomination process through the International Chamber of Commerce, United Nations Global Compact, United Nations Development Programme, and Principles for Responsible Investment. The Award Committee consists of Ouided Bouchamaoui (Tunisia), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Finn Kydland (Norway), and Eric Maskin (USA). The committee evaluated the nominees on the criteria of being a role model to society and their peers, having earned trust by stakeholders, and standing out as an advocate.

Upcoming Award Ceremony

The three winners will receive the Award in a ceremony at Oslo City Hall on 15 May 2019 as part of the annual Business for Peace Summit.

Business for Peace is pleased to share the programme for the 2019 Summit: Navigating in a World of Imbalance. The Summit aims to provide businessworthy leaders with the knowledge, inspiration, actions and the networks necessary to effectively create social impact through their work.

The Summit will explore different perspectives of imbalances and which role technology and investment can play, all with the objective to identify tangible actions for business leaders. Through deeper understanding of the challenges and through cross-sector conversations, the Summit will offer insight and actionable ideas for how business leaders and investors can play a greater role in driving an inclusive and prosperous future for all.

About Business for Peace

The vision of the Business for Peace Foundation is that all business leaders have as their purpose to improve society. This requires being ”businessworthy” – in an ethical and responsible way creating value both for business and society.